Gear Review: Revo Stern Sunglasses Make Life Look Better

By Contributing Editor Steve Casimiro, editor of Adventure Journal. See more of Casimiro's gear recommendations in our Ultimate Hiking and Camping Gear Guide >> 

Earlier this summer I was at the beach, raving to my son about the clarity of the water. “The kelp,” I said, “it’s so golden. And the blue...I can’t remember when I’ve seen the water so blue.”

“I don’t see it,” he said. “Maybe you should take off your sunglasses.”

I took off the Revo Sterns. D’oh! Back to everyday color.

Revo claims its new polarized lenses are revolutionary and, while that’s a fairly typical marketing overstatement, they are a dramatic improvement. It’s true that my local section of the Pacific has rarely looked so good, and no doubt some of that is due to the “Water” lens. But revolutionary? Let’s call it a great evolution.

“While some lenses address this problem by blocking this entire color range (resulting in color distortion and the inability to accurately recognize colors),” says the company, “the Revo Water lens filters only specific wavelengths, resulting in accurate color that eliminates the blue haze without color distortion.”

The Stern is a strong frame that’s a cross between a Wayfarer and a Frogskin. It’s thick and bold and looks like it would weigh heavy on the bridge of the nose, but in fact feels quite light and comfortable. The lenses are polycarbonate, the frames nylon with elastomer nose pieces. Light transmission on the Water lens is ten percent.

The Pacific isn’t on the Pantone chart, so I can’t quibble about accuracy—I just know that everything I looked at looked better. A whole lot better.

Gear Review: With Oakley's Scalpel Sunglasses, the Wow Factor is Back

By National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor Steve Casimiro, editor of The Adventure Life 

For years, my buddies and I used to joke about “Oakleyvision”—how the world seemed so much sharper and brighter when you slipped on pair of Oakley sunglasses. Back in the day, sport sunglasses from other manufacturers didn’t seem up to quite the same standards, and Oakley’s lenses really stood out. Eventually, though, other manufacturers gained traction and Oakleys, while top notch, didn’t seem as special. Well, the O has a new polarization technology and it’s like Oakleyvision 2.0—the wow factor is back.

Gear Crush: Flex Rise Revo Sunglasses

Flex Rise, Revo, $300

Founded by a NASA engineer in 1985, Revo has long been known for its high-tech shades. Then along came Oakley. In 2007 Revo’s parent company bought the king of sport-lens technology, and the brands swapped secrets. The result? One fine pair of glasses: the Flex Rise. With a single layer of material (vs. the standard three), its impact-resistant polarized lenses are superclear, and its Bio-Titanium frames are so light you’ll forget they’re on your face (revo.com).

Read all our First In news updates >>

The Adventure Life With Steve Casimiro Gear Review: Oakley Split Thump MP3 Sunglasses

Text and photographs by West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro

When I first saw the Oakley Thump sunglasses a couple years ago with built-in MP3 player, I thought they were silly, expensive, and ugly to boot. Then I used them, because, well, you know, it’s my job.

I wore ’em first when I was cleaning the garage, where no one could see me. Then I tried them out on a trail run. And then on a mountain bike ride. By the time I’d burned the battery down once, I was so completely hooked on the joys of exercising with music wirelessly that I couldn’t imagine going without the Thumps. They were so cool, they even started to look cool.

Now there’s a new model, the Oakley Split Thump, which looks less sporty than the original Thumps and comes with removable ear buds.

Continue reading this gear review >>